This week, the Washington Post broke a story about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
billing taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her home while in office. Without actually incurring expenses, Palin collected a government per diem allowance for meals and lodging while residing in her own home.
"Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her
allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty
station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by
The Washington Post."
The self-proclaimed government waste crime fighter also charged the state of Alaska for travel expenses incurred while transporting her children to official out-of-town missions. But as scandalous as it all appears, Alaskan officials say Palin was entitled to write off personal expenses and take a per diem, even while at her own house.
According to Alaska's finance director, Kim Garnero, under Alaskan law, this is all kosher. The governor's office is exempt from elaborate travel regulations.
"The
governor is entitled to a per diem, and she claims it," said
Gubernatorial spokeswoman Sharon Leighow who went on to clear Palin's actions of any impropriety.
"As a matter of protocol, the governor and the first family are
expected to attend community events across the state," she said. "It's
absolutely reasonable that the first family participates in community
events."
At the end of the day, the Post article fails to show any impropriety on the part of Palin, but is successful in pointing out that she, like most, takes advantage of the perks of her job. If the people of Alaska have a problem paying to fly her family around, they could put pressure on their state representatives to change the law. But if they are OK shelling out the $44,000 in travel expenses used to transport her family to annual fish and game events, then that's their prerogative.
There is another angle to this situation that few are willing to admit: our nation's leaders are underpaid.
Consider that even the governor of a barren state like Alaska has a big job that oversees the lives of close to 600,000 people, nearly 53,000 state and local employees, and countless moose. What would a typically private sector CEO expect in compensation for being in charge of 53,000 employees? The short answer: millions.
For the most part, government job salaries for non-executive level
employees remain fairly competitive with the private sector, especially
at the federal level. OhMyGov! conducted research on this topic and found the sectors near identical, when benefits were removed from the equation.
State employees aren't quite so lucky, making up to 25 percent less on average than their
private sector counterparts. Even if this deduction is applied to governors, a salary offer of $125,000 a year for managing 53,000 people would be a joke in the private sector, and rightly so. A non-supervisory GS-14 pushing papers at the federal level is capable of making just as much. This just doesn't seem fair.
The pay gap between private and public sector salaries also exists among federal senior executives, attorney generals, surgeon generals, the Vice President, judges, and very arguable, members of Congress, all of whom max out under $210,000 a year for jobs they would be paid two to three times more for in the private sector.
Is it fair to pay those with the greatest responsibility for running the government less competitively? More importantly, does knowing they are underpaid make these individuals more inclined to reach for the cookie jar and milk the system for all the free meals, travel benefits, and connections they can get? History and Gov. Palin's record suggests it does.
Also Interesting:
Federal Pay Outpaces Private Sector?
Public-private job competition falling short of goals
How would Gov. Palin influence government?
And the Palin hits just keep on coming
The week's best political jokes - 9/5/08